May 15, 2020 by Lianne Frith
UK-based ompany, TouchNetix, has introduced a new touch screen controller chip that can be used in challenging industrial environments.
The firm, which was founded to make high-reliability, robust touch-sensor assemblies, has already seen success with its Brilliance and Luminance products. The new Chrominance product, with in-built aXiom touch screen IC, is claimed to be able to be used in any harsh or hazardous application.
TouchNetix’s new Chrominance sensor assemblies—based on the company’s aXiom series touch screen iC—are designed to maintain reliable performance in harsh operation conditions, often causing conventional displays to fail to recognise touches or report false contact.
The new range of touchscreen sensor modules are constructed from a 0.7mm glass/ITO sensor, which creates a robust structure with the necessary optical properties.
Meanwhile, the sensor is optically bonded to a chemically strengthened 2-4mm thick cover lens. The passive tail and custom-designed driver board provide users with access to I2C or USB interfaces, enabling it to be integrated into end-user products.
The product is suitable for displays from 4.3 to 24 inches diagonal, has a high signal-to-noise ratio of >80dB, and is qualified to Class A according to the EN61000 standard.
TouchNetix claims that the Chrominance product’s low noise floor and ultra-high sensitivity mean that they can recover capacitive touch signals even with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) levels.
TouchNetix's new Chrominance product with built-in aXiom touchscreen IC. Image credited to TouchNetix.
The Chrominance sensors have been created to enable radical new display user interface designs featuring curved and contoured overlays, hover and proximity functions, force sensing, and integrated haptics control.
The design aims to exceed the specifications of any other capacitive touchscreen on the market while complying with rigorous legislative requirements.
The sensor simplifies the design process, even in applications where conducted electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) specifications have been previously impossible, by offering some key features:
Extreme immunity to conducted noise.
Ultra-low RF emissions.
A reduced risk of premature touchscreen failure due to material degradation in hot and humid environments.
Superior sensitivity to touch using wet or thick-gloved fingers.
Uniform touch sensitivity through a 3D or curved lense of variable thickness.
Support for large and non-standard display form factors.
Touchscreen graphic representing the new features implemented by TouchNetix.
Chrominance touchscreens are modular products that give engineers a simplified way to integrate multi-touch touchscreens into their designs, reducing time to market. The Chrominance series products are provided with access to the company’s ‘TouchHub’ software and hardware toolset to make evaluation, integration, tuning, and testing a seamless process.
This allows industries to integrate Chrominance-based touchscreen displays into their products, giving them an out-of-the-box solution with no need for fine-tuning and configuration, a currently time-consuming and challenging process.
The touchscreens have been specifically designed for industrial and automotive applications, replacing the consumer-grade touchscreen controllers used today. They will help industries combat the current issues encountered with:
Due to the high sensitivity, the design of the transparent sensing conductors could be relaxed in some instances, reducing the skill level required by the design team and widening manufacturing tolerance.
Ultimately, the product could be a breakthrough in the touchscreen market, especially in automotive, industrial, marine, and medical applications.
